A WONDERFUL BUT DISTURBING MEETING WITH PASTORS

We left for the Conference at around 9:00am as usual. The team were going to the hospital today. It was a very moving experience. When they returned and we were still at the conference, Pastor Peter (Patrick’s associate) asked Shannon to share her experiences and she talked about the fact that the hospital was such a mixture of feelings for her. She was overcome by the conditions and the diseases (they had been to an HIV AIDS ward as part of the visit). She said she was also profoundly impacted by the faith of the patients and many of the staff. The team members had the opportunity to greet the patients and give them some small gifts (like soaps) and pray for them.

I had to change some money. Its not a simple task up country. The first bank I went to had a line with twenty people in it that didn’t move for the first twenty minutes I was there. So I went to three other banks all of whom said they didn’t change USD into USH (Uganda shillings). I finally found another one and there was no cue, but I still had to wait nearly half an hour for the process to engage. Then the problem was the date on my notes. They don’t like USD dated before 2001. I am not sure exactly why that is. I have been told but have not understood. They agreed to change a small amount. That was okay by me. Then I went looking for the dry cleaning shop and was given about four or five directions that proved to be fruitless(probably a lack of adequate communication rather than anything else). Just to give some idea of compartive values – at present one US dollar is worth about 1700 Uganda Shillings which makes the Aussie dollar worth about 1500 USH. When I went to get a coat and two pairs of trousers dry cleaned it cost me about $9 AU. To get a ride on the back of a bike from the town down to the church cost 30 cents. They told me that it costs 30 cents for an ordinary sized person with no load and could cost 40 or 50 cents if you happened to be a large person or a smaller person with a large load. Those of you who have been to Africa would have seen what is possible to be carried on a bike. It is much more than anyone from Oz would think.

I loved doing the session with the people at the conference. It takes a few days for us to get each other’s measure and then we can have a lot of fun together. There is a connection between Aussie humour and Ugandan, I am sure. I have been teaching messages in a series about the things that enable you or hinder you from finishing the race based on 2 Timothy 4. There have been the odd diversions that those of you who know me would understand and this was the second last day, but God gave me some great ways of connecting the message with people and they responded very well.

We had some workshop sessions today. I took one with the pastors who were there. Many of them were there last year as well. We went into a school room and the room was totally packed. I can’t say how many but there were many. I basically introduced the time by explaining a few things about churches in Australia and our own church in Canberra but opened it up as soon as possible for questions. Here is a sample of the questions the asked:

I am looking after many orphans and we only have enough money to put half the roof on the building. How can I get the resources to finish it? The orphans expect something from us and we are so frustrated when we can only give them half a roof.
What do we do when we can’t get Bibles even as pastors? You came last year and said you would send us Bibles, but we never got them? (actually we had sent money for Bibles but there were not enough for everyone – ongoing problem)
We have many women whose husbands are not believers and who mistreat them. What should be do to help them?
You have come to us with teaching from the Bible that we do not receive in this nation. I would love to be able to get more of this teaching and be able to give it to the pastors in churches that we have planted. How can we get access to it?
Even though there are many things being done with aids and health, we need more people to teach the groups in our villages and towns how to guard against aids and other diseases. The government programs have done good but they are so hampered by corruption that so little gets to the rural areas and the people in the villages. Can you help us?

I gave honest and straightforward answers to these questions but the possiblity of true partnerships still remains the greatest opportunity and the greatest challenge. I felt very empty but strongly connected to these precious men and women of God.


The rain stayed away for the crusade today. There were thousands of people there. We had all of the worship and preliminary activities and then I preached on the three fathers: the one in the story of the prodigal son, my own experience and the father heart of God. There was a great response and then we prayed for very many healings and there was some of the very domonstrative deliverences from demons.

Then the celebration began and there was a lot of reason for celebration.